Improvement in car-axle boxes



UNITEn` STATES PATENT EEICEr SAMUEL It. HUGHES, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-AXLE BOXES.

Specification forming part-ofLet-ters Patent No. 152,377, dated June 23, 187 application filed August 26, 1873.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL It. HUGHES, of St. Joseph, in the county of Berrien and State ot' Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Im provem ents in Journal -Boxes for Railway-Cars; of which improvements the following is afull, clear, and exact description, which will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, and in whieh- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a part of a railway-ear truck, the inner end of the journalboxes being shown in order that the manner ot' applying my improvements may be clearly shown; Fig. 2, a vertical central longitudinal section through a car -wheel, its axle, and a journal-box provided with my improvements; Fig.`3, aside elevation of a journal-box provided with my improvements Fi. 4, a view in all respects like Fig. 2, except that a modification in the manner of applying my improvements is shown 5 Aand Fig. represents amodification in the construction of the diaphragm or washer.

The object of my invention is to prevent the dust and grit from entering' the journal-boxes, and to retain the oil therein. This I aim to accomplish in such a manner that the means I employ for that purpose may be readily applied to journal-boxes now in use, and as now constructed, and so that a slight modification in the construction of new boxes will adapt them for the reception of my improvements, and enable me to render the latter much more simple.

For the purpose otl accomplishing the objects above set forth, my invention consists of a washer or diaphragm, fitted to, and loosely mounted on, the car-wheel axle,and constructed and arranged to close the inner opening of the journal-box, the washer having free play, during the movement of the axle, either in a removable cap or recess constructed to receive it, and arranged on the inner end of the box, or in a slot in the journal-box, all of which will be hereinafter fully described and set forth.

In the drawing', A represents a journal-box constructed in the usual manner, and Bis a car-wheel axle, also constructed in the usual manner, and having a bearing in the journalbox. It is essential that the axle should have some play in the box, and that provision should be made for a greater vertical play than forward and backward movement 5 and, in making provision for this play, the inner opening or mouth ot' the box is made oblong in form, as shown at a. It is also essential that the axle should have some lateral play, and during this lateral play the central part of the inner face of the wheel is frequentlyin contact with the inner end ofthe box. The surfaces thus brought in contact with each other are reduced as much as may be practicable, in order to avoid unnecessary friction and, for this purpose, the inner end of the box is usually provided with an annular shoulder or rib surrounding the opening a, as shown at al, and the outer face of this shoulder should be smooth, in order to still further decrease the friction.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that dust and grit may enter the opening a, and'that the oil employed for lubricating' purposes may leak away through the same opemn Having thus fully explained the nature and object of my invention, I will now describe the means I employ for the purposes above set forth.

C is a thin metallic plate, having an opening therein corresponding to the opanin g a; and this plate is constructed to form a cap over the inner end of the journal-box, thereby admitting of a smooth surface being formed on the outer side of the said cap for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Instead of makin g the cap C of metal, it may be made otA wood, cut away to clamp either the top and bottom of the box, or the sides thereof, or both. D is a metallic cap, in all respects like the metallic cap C, except as hereinafter described. E is a diaphragm or washer, fitted to the axle, and mounted freely thereon. This washer may be made either of metal or of hard line-grained wood, and either in one orin two parts, and is of such a size and form that, when arranged on the axle in the manner shown, it will cover the opening a during all the movements of the axle. Vhen made in two parts, each part is provided with extensions l d, lying in rabbets in the other part; and these extensions each extend into loops or bands df d', attached to the outer end of each part, as shown in Fig. 5. Each part may then be attached to the other by means of pins or rivets, as shown at s. Then made in two parts in this manner the diaphragm may be readily removed and replaced without disturbing any of the other parts.

In order to apply my improvements to boxes now in use and as now constructed, the cap C is arranged on the inner endet' the box to give a smooth surface thereto. rIhe cap D is arranged on the box in such a position as to set over the cap C. The washer E is arranged between the caps C and D, and sut'tcicnt room is left between the said caps to allow the washer to be readily acted upon by the axle 5 but this space is not so great as to prevent the washer from also operating as a packing as well as a diaphragm. As the vertical movement ot' the axle is the greatest, the cap D may be slotted or left open' at the top and bottom, it necessary, to admit ot' the free vertical movement of the washer. lI deem it preferable, however, in order that the oil may not drip or leak away, to close the bottom of the space in which the washer is arranged. F is a packing or" either rubber, leather, or similar packing material, which for additional security against leakage of oil, may be arranged on the axle, and between the washer E and cap C, and this pack-l ing is in form like the washer.

The caps (I and D may be attached to the box either by means ot' screws, or by any suit able means. A convenient and et'licient way of attaching them to the box is represented in Fig. 3, wherein c represents a. band, arranged around the outer cap, and tightly clamped, both caps and the box being cnt at the corners to receive the band, as shown at c.

The aggregate thickness ot' all the parts attached to the inner end ot' the box should be such that the axle may have considerable lateral play.

Vhen the inner cap is made of wood, and in the manner described, it will be retained in position by means ofthe outer cap and diaphragm.

In order to construct the box to receive the diaphragm or washer, I slot the inner end of the former, either through the sides, above the bottom, or through from the top to the bottom, leaving the sides closed. rIhe washer may then be placed in the slots thus cut or cast, as shown in Fi 0'. 4, the slots being of such dimensions as to allow the washer to play in the manner described.

It will be perceived from the foregoing description that dust and grit will be prevented from entering the opening a, and that the oil cannot leak therefrom when the box is provided with my improved device in the manner described, and that the latter may bc readily applied either to boxes now in use, and as now constructed, and that a simple change in the construction ot' the boxes will admit of the es sential feature ot' my invention being applied without employing all the parts herein shown and described. It will also be perceived that the moving parts of my device may be constrncted et' such material that the friction will be either of metal against metal, wood against wood, wood against metal, and rubber or other similarI packing against either wood or metal.

I deem useful the employment ot' wood in the manner described,for the reason thatthe wood will, in time, absorb a quantity ot` oil, and thus make an effectual packing, and create little friction.

By making the outer cap of metal a smooth surface may be presented to the inner face of the wheel when it and the cap are in contact.

Having thus. described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The removable diaphragm E, made in two parts, each provided with the arms d d, and with rabbets to receive said arms, the parts bcing combined with retaining -bands d! d and the retainin g-pinssl .s-,the diaphragm being fitted to, and freely mounted on, the journal, to play in an open recess in the liournal-box, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination ot' the removable cap C, the removable cap D, and the removable diaphragm or washervE, with relation to the axle and journal-box, substantially as and t'or the purposes specified.

SAMUEL R. HUGHES.

Witnesses:

PnnsoNs I). ALLEN, ALBERT. H. Po'r'rna. 

